Here are 7 things you can do to fight social injustice — besides posting on social media.
Do you remember Blackout Tuesday? It was June 2, 2020, a day of action to protest racism and police brutality. The day was originally organized by the music industry. But most of us remember the black boxes that were posted with the hashtag #BlackoutTuesday across social media.
I can’t help but recall Blackout Tuesday today, as I observe another activism moment that has swept social media. An AI-generated graphic with the text ‘All Eyes on Raffah’ is now the internet’s most viral AI image. The image has been shared 50 million times. But the virality of this moment isn’t the only thing reminding me of June 2020. Both moments feel incredibly performative.
The truth is, there’s more to this fight than sharing a post or using a hashtag. Especially when more of us have curated a social media network that’s almost exclusively composed of people who share our views.
So I’m here to say something shocking coming from a social media professional: log off. Go touch some grass. And consider a few of these other ways you can get involved:
Educate yourself.
Unfortunately, we can’t rely on our public school educations to have taught us about the root causes of social issues. And either way, we could all use a brush up. For example, refreshing your knowledge of how redlining perpetuated systemic racism by reinforced segregation and the racial wage gap and housing disparities.
And revisiting the enduring legacy of colonialism and imperialism is crucial to understanding today’s struggles in countries such as Sudan, Congo, and Palestine.
Donate.
As someone who has spent most of my career working at mission-driven non-profits, I can speak first-hand on how impactful donations really are. During my time at Islamic Relief USA, I saw how people’s generosity quite literally put food in the mouths of people fleeing violence. But please don’t forget about the important legal work of groups like the ACLU, Earthjustice and the Southern Poverty Law Center. Much of their work relies on the support of donors.
Volunteer.
Volunteering is truly a win-win. I have never left a volunteer event feeling anything but optimistic after interacting with people who care about the issues that you care about. And unlike Instagram comment sections, volunteering tends to be filled with truly altruistic and kind hearted people. I cannot overstate the impact that your time and skills can have on organizations that fight the good fight.
Speak up (offline!)
Unlike our Instagram feeds, we can’t simply ‘unfollow’ or ‘hide’ people who have opinions we don’t agree with. Especially if those people are family members or coworkers. I challenge you (especially if you enjoy some level of privilege) to engage in meaningful conversations and educate people around you about the issues that are important to you.
Protest and contact decision makers.
Like volunteering, protests and rallies allow you to gather with like-minded individuals and advocate for change. I also try to take the opportunity to reach out to decision makers, elected officials, and community leaders and demand their action. Voting is not the only way to make your voice heard.
Pray.
Okay. I know at least one of you rolled your eyes at this one. But if you believe in manifestation, or even the power in our words, you can believe in the power of prayer. Taking a moment to pray for those suffering can also be the perfect moment to practice gratitude for how fortunate you are.
Stop participating in the problem.
Unfortunately, our tax dollars contribute to a lot of what we’re fighting against. But we can still aim to minimize contributing to problematic companies. In some cases, we may even consider our own employers and the roles they play. If you cant influence change, it might be time to resign.
Of course, this is all easier said than done. But we can never see real change until those in power see how serious we are about our beliefs.
When these undoubtedly crimes against humanity are written about in history books years from now, let’s make sure we are satisfied with how we stood up against injustice.
